> The principals have too much power and will/can do > whatever is necessary to "get rid" of a teacher they don't > like. The principal can write up bad reports(which are not > true) and have the district back it up falsely. The unions > are virtually worthless........ > > > On 11/02/13, anon wrote: >> This tactic is more common now since districts have >> rigged Nevada law further to gut what few protections >> teachers have, which is actually none, and that's by >> abusing the "probationary" status of teachers to get rid >> of veteran teachers. >> >> A principal can merely give a teacher two lousy >> evaluations in a row just because he or she feels like >> it, and that teacher goes back on "probationary" status, >> which then means a principal can just "non- renew" them >> for any reason or no reason at all (at-will). The teacher >> has NO chance at...See More> The principals have too much power and will/can do > whatever is necessary to "get rid" of a teacher they don't > like. The principal can write up bad reports(which are not > true) and have the district back it up falsely. The unions > are virtually worthless........ > > > On 11/02/13, anon wrote: >> This tactic is more common now since districts have >> rigged Nevada law further to gut what few protections >> teachers have, which is actually none, and that's by >> abusing the "probationary" status of teachers to get rid >> of veteran teachers. >> >> A principal can merely give a teacher two lousy >> evaluations in a row just because he or she feels like >> it, and that teacher goes back on "probationary" status, >> which then means a principal can just "non- renew" them >> for any reason or no reason at all (at-will). The teacher >> has NO chance at all to fight it. >> >> This just shows how utterly worthless the "unions" are in >> Nevada to even allow such abuse by administrators. >> >> >> On 11/02/13, anon wrote: >>> Principals are unique among supervisors in that they >>> have almost unlimited power, ironclad job security >>> (though that is changing, fortunately), and NO >>> accountability. That's because they are not closely >>> supervised. >>> >>> It takes maturity and a high sense of ethics to be a >>> successful principal, but unfortunately there are few >>> good principals anymore. Almost all of the good ones >>> (generally older ones, those who had many years of >>> teaching experience) left when the "reforms" started >>> taking hold. >>> >>> The "doctor" simply repeats boilerplate nonsense that >>> has no bearing on how easily teachers are scapegoated >>> and railroaded out of careers. It is pathetically easy >>> for teachers to get canned, and they have NO real "due >>> process" at all. The court system is also heavily >>> against them because few lawyers will take on teacher >>> lawsuits as it takes many years for them to be resolved. >>> That's because school districts can and do "run out the >>> clock" thanks to having unlimited funds. >>> >>> >>> On 11/01/13, HS Teacher wrote: >>>> On 11/01/13, Doctor wrote: >>>> >>>> >>>>> A tiny minority of teachers beyond probationary get >>>>> fired, and you can include in that resignation in lieu >>>>> or the other nonsense you listed. Far less than just >>>>> about any other career out there. I've fired people in >>>>> the private sector. Trust me! It's a LOT easier than >>>>> in public ed. You can't offer any numbers because >>>>> you're wrong. You only have what happened to you, and >>>>> probably a few other malcontents. >>>> >>>> You can't offer any numbers yourself. How do you >>>> justify the phrases 'a tiny minority', 'far less >>>> than...'? when you haven't offered anything but your >>>> own anecdotal evidence? (The very thing you are railing >>>> at 'anon' for doing, btw.) >>>> >>>> Here are numbers I'd like to find out: >>>> >>>> How many teachers 'burn out' in their first year? >>>> second year? third year? and so on... And how much of >>>> that 'burn out' comes from lack of support from >>>> administration? Or outright hostility from >>>> administration? >>>> >>>> I'd be surprised if you've never witnessed a principal >>>> targeting a particular teacher. I haven't been doing >>>> this job all that long, and I've seen it personally in >>>> seven separate cases. 'Punishing' a teacher with a >>>> difficult class schedule, writing 'do not hire' in an >>>> email to another district employee, subjecting a >>>> teacher to daily 'observations'. Out of the seven cases >>>> I'm thinking of, two no longer work for the district, >>>> both good teachers who were caught on the wrong side of >>>> a person with power. >>>> >>>> I think principals have a lot of power, and some abuse >>>> it. Teachers need due process as a protection. >>>> >>>> >>>>> Your attitude is one that likely breeds prejudice and >>>>> low standards in the classroom. You can't tell me that >>>>> you're this ball of bitterness, defeatism, and >>>>> narcissism with adults and a nurturing ball of >>>>> sunshine with students. I've heard it all before: "The >>>>> kids are all poorly raised, they're all from poverty, >>>>> certain ethnic group can't do well, that one kid told >>>>> me to screw off, or his older brother was a menace 5 >>>>> years ago, so I'm going to get back at him every >>>>> chance I get..." >>>> >>>> Jumping to a lot of conclusions here. And you're >>>> putting words in the other poster's mouth. That is not >>>> the way to have a 'sane, rational' discussion. >>>> >>>> >>>>